Tested By the Lord our God
Proverbs 17:1-28
A dry crust of bread eaten in peace and quiet is better than a feast eaten where everyone argues. A hard-working slave will be placed in charge of a no-good child, and that slave will be given the same inheritance that each child receives. Silver and gold are tested by flames of fire; our thoughts are tested by the LORD. Troublemakers listen to troublemakers, and liars listen to liars. By insulting the poor, you insult your Creator. You will be punished if you make fun of someone in trouble.
Grandparents are proud of their grandchildren, and children should be proud of their parents. It sounds strange for a fool to talk sensibly, but it’s even worse for a ruler to tell lies. A bribe works miracles like a magic charm that brings good luck. You will keep your friends if you forgive them, but you will lose your friends if you keep talking about what they did wrong. A sensible person accepts correction, but you can’t beat sense into a fool.
Cruel people want to rebel, and so vicious attackers will be sent against them. A bear robbed of her cubs is far less dangerous than a stubborn fool. You will always have trouble if you are mean to those who are good to you. The start of an argument is like a water leak–so stop it before real trouble breaks out.
The LORD doesn’t like those who defend the guilty or condemn the innocent. Why should fools have money for an education when they refuse to learn? A friend is always a friend, and relatives are born to share our troubles. It’s stupid to guarantee someone else’s loan.
The wicked and the proud love trouble and keep begging to be hurt. Dishonesty does you no good, and telling lies will get you in trouble. It’s never pleasant to be the parent of a fool and have nothing but pain. If you are cheerful, you feel good; if you are sad, you hurt all over.
Crooks accept secret bribes to keep justice from being done. Anyone with wisdom knows what makes good sense, but fools can never make up their minds. Foolish children bring sorrow to their father and pain to their mother. It isn’t fair to punish the innocent and those who do right. It makes a lot of sense to be a person of few words and to stay calm.
Even fools seem smart when they are quiet.
